EMERY. 
Although these two kinds of rubies are inferior, both 
in lustre and colour, to the oriental ruby ; yet, when 
they exceed a certain size, they are much esteemed. 
A spinel that weighs more than four carats is valued 
at half as much as a diamond of the same weight, and 
is not unfrequently imposed upon ignorant purchasers 
for the oriental species. It is easily wrought, takes a 
high polish, and is certainly a beautiful gem. Being 
too expensive for necklaces, it is usually set in rings 
and brooches, surrounded by brilliants. 
The spinel ruby is found amongst sand, in one of 
the rivers of Ceylon, which flows from the high moun- 
tains, towards the middle of the island. It is also found 
in Brazil ; and in Hungary, Bohemia, and Silesia. 
The Balais ruby is so named from Balacchan, the 
Indian appellation of Pegu, from which country it is 
chiefly imported. 
58. EMERY is a very hard opaque mineral, of blackish or 
bluish grey colour , which is chiefly found in shapeless masses, 
and mixed with othei- minerals. It is about four times as 
heavy as water. 
The best emery is brought from the Levant, and 
chiefly from Naxos, and other islands of the Grecian 
Archipelago, where it occurs abundantly, in large, 
loose masses, at the:foot of .primitive mountains. It is 
also found in some parts of Spain ; and is obtained 
from a few of the iron mines in our own country. 
In hardness it is nearly equal to adamantine spar ; 
and this property has rendered it an object of great 
request in various arts. It is employed by lapidaries 
in the cutting and polishing of precious stones ; by op- 
ticians, in smoothing the surface of the finer kinds of 
glass, preparatory to their being polished ; by cutlers, 
and other manufacturers of iron and steel instruments ; 
by masons, in the polishing of marble : and, in their 
respective businesses, by locksmiths, glaziers, and nu- 
merous other artisans. 
For all these purposes it is pulverized in large iron 
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